Halloween happenings

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Fall is here, and with it, all kinds of Halloween fun. If you feel like scaring yourself silly, you can check out several haunted locales -- from schoolhouses to former institutions and even the great outdoors. If your fun leans more towards the fright-free side, though, there are some corn mazes you can visit, which all have additional activities, too.

Here are the ongoing Halloween-related events gazz has been informed of, listed in order of distance from Charleston:

The Haunted Barn

7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 9 and 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 17, 24 and 31. Tickets $11, fast pass (gets you in the next group entering the haunt) $22, all night pass $35 and season fast pass $55. The Haunted Barn, 426 Beauregard St. Call 304-389-1203 or visit www.thehauntedbarn.us.

Scareview Grave Schoul

7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through October, plus Oct. 31. Admission $10 or $8 with a canned food donation (proceeds benefit West Side Volunteer Fire Department and local food banks). Old Fairview Elementary School, corner of Virginia Heights and Coal River Road, St. Albans. Call 304-727-4750 or visit www.facebook.com/scarview.

Historic Oak Hill School House

7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday Oct. 19-30. Wednesdays are "no scare" nights, where children can walk through without being scared by the actors. Adults $10, children 12 and under $8, no scare Wednesday for ages 8 and under $5. Old Oak Hill Elementary School, 140 School St., Oak Hill. Find it on Facebook under "The Haunting of the Historic Oak Hill School House."

Haunted Parkersburg

7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 2, plus Oct. 31. Adults $10, students and seniors $8, children 13 and under $5. (Not recommended for ages 6 and under.) A two-hour, roughly two-mile walking ghost tour of the city. Departs from The Blennerhassett Hotel, 4th and Market streets. Call 304-428-7978 or visit www.hauntedparkersburg.wix.com.

Plan to arrive before 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; once capacity is reached, the gates will be closed for the night. Ages 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Trans-Allegheny also offers flashlight tours, paranormal tours (day and night), ghost hunts and historic tours. A fall festival is Sunday, and the annual Asylum Ball is Oct 26. Admission to these is separate from Abberation. Visit www.talawv.com for dates and more.

The penitentiary also offers twilight tours and Thriller Thursdays, where you can explore by flashlight, as well as overnight ghost adventures. Age restrictions apply. Visit the website for more information or to purchase tickets.

Gritt's Farm

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 31. Admission for ages 9-60 $8, seniors 61 and up and children 3-8 $6, children 2 and under free. 356 Gritt Road, Buffalo. Call 304-937-2565 or visit www.facebook.com/GrittsFarm.

Cost includes two corn mazes, a hay maze, slides, wagon rides, a play area and one try on the apple slingshot (additional apples 3/$1). If you just want to visit the pumpkin patch, admission to it is free. (Pumpkins are 35 cents/pound.)

Milton corn maize

5 to 10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 3. (By reservation Monday through Thursday). Ages 12 and up $7, children 4-11 $6.50, children 3 and under free. Old Milton Middle School, U.S. 60 West. Call 304-634-6293 or www.cooperfamilyfarms.net.

Cost includes a tractor ride to the maze site, as well as a corn crawl crib, cow train, pumpkin patch and bonfire. Haunted maze dates are Oct. 18-19 and 25-26; admission is $10, and the haunting begins at dark.

Okes Family Farms

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5:30 p.m. Sunday through October. Free admission to farm; corn maze is $3 for ages 6 and up and free for 5 and under (cash or check only). 614 Blue Jay 6 Road, Cool Ridge. Call 304-673-3268 or visit www.okesfamilyfarms.com. Call ahead during rainy weather to make sure farm is open.

Other activities include wagon ridges, a corncob shooter and corn box (like a sandbox but with corn kernels). This weekend, there will be bouncy houses for children; Oct. 19-20 features free pumpkin painting and Oct. 26-27 has free pumpkin carving. Reach Amy Robinson at flipside@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4881.